The present disclosure relates to low weight, durable structural composite having a improved cost-to-weight ratio over other primary structural materials. The structural composite exhibits desirable properties relating to manufacturing of the base material, the production of products that utilize the structural composite, a base cost of materials, and material life cycle costs.
Currently, the majority of structural components are fabricated from one or more of aluminum, such as aviation grade aluminum, titanium, and thermo-set laminated composites. It has been learned over time that a lighter structure can be built using composites, as opposed to the use of metals. However, at least one problem with composites, other than their cost-to-weight ratio, is their failure mechanisms.
Most all composites have low damage tolerances which may result in catastrophic failure. For example, carbon-carbon composite products have a great strength-to-weight ratio. However, due to impacts sustained under a primary structural load, referred to herein as damage tolerance, the strength-to-weight ratio is mitigated to the point that the cost benefit comparison renders the use of such materials less attractive.
Most, if not all composites, are highly susceptible to environmental contamination during manufacturing of the base material as well as during its life cycle. For example, in the aviation environment, materials are subjected to many extremes in exposure to temperature, fluids, chemicals, shock and vibration. To solve many of the shock and vibration problems encountered in metals under such extremes various alloys of metals have been derived to counteract the effects of such an environment.
Summarizing, disadvantages and limitations of the existing solutions for fabrication of structural components include prohibitive cost-to-weight ratios, resistance to environmental contamination in the total life cycle of the material, and diminishing strength-to-weight ratio in response to primary loads.